Balzac's Distillery District — Restaurant in Toronto

Two things to consider: Coffee Quality and Roastery Customer Service

Coffee Quality: Coffee is not bad but not great either. I got the Tweega Peaberry. It is supposed to be a Pale (light) Roast but it is much darker compared to most third wave roasters I've had. Coffee is a decent, smooth diner coffee.

Main point of disappointment is this is not the type of coffee I came in for (more on this later). Typically wet process or natural process coffees have a bit more sweetness and depth of flavour. I've had the gamut of roasters both local, national and american. From indie roasters like Parlor (Brooklyn), Anchor (Halifax), Reunion Island (Toronto) to mid range like Detour (Hamilton), Trebilcock (Pickering), Transcend (Edmonton), Phil and Sebastien (Calgary) to your juggernauts like Intelligentsia and Stumptown. Pretty much anything short of fully washed from these above roasters has a unique profile and a delicate roast to preserve this uniqueness. If this coffee had this potential all its subtle sweetness and nuance was roasted out leaving it rather banal.

Customer Service First, the lady behind the desk was wonderful. She was sweet to me and my son and was as helpful as possible. She gets 5 stars from me. However, she hadn't been trained to answer anything beyond the most basic questions about their coffee. As such when I gave her my needs she was unable, despite her best efforts, to provide a coffee matching my current needs. The people who could however were in their " coffee lab" their door was propped open but when they saw me they quickly closed it and avoided all eye contact while I was in their store. This is atypical behaviour compared to many of the successful roasters and shops I've visited across N.A. and the UK.

In short, this first bag will be the last bag I...

Worst cafe experience of my life 😔

👎Do not reccommend

The staff (which I know in the end that she's deaf) was expressing her body language in the worst possible way.

I was asking whether is the coffee is my order, then she respond but I couldn't understand her clearly so I asked her to repeat it again because me and my friend couldn't catch up any words she said.

Then she was shouting and making annoying face at me that people around there is looking at the situation to see what's happending. I was really clam but asked her nicely to repeat the word again since I don't want to grab the wrong order.

Then another staff came so I ask her what's this coffee? Is it mine order? So she told me that this coffee is not mine and I should have asked first before I hold the coffee in my hand. Which I asked deaf women several times because she's the one who made the coffee but I couldn't understand her and didn't know that she is deaf.

So me and my friend asked the other staff that what's wrong with her and she told us that the lady is deaf in which I felt sorry for her. However, I felt really terrible about the situation since she should have behave differently since I asked her nicely. She could call her colleage or even write down for me but the way she react toward the situation made me felt "TERRIBLE"

I was really excited to be here at first but after this situatuon I wouldn't come back ever again

Ps. The coffee is too sweet than...

Cafe 2/50 - Balzacs Coffee! Take a BOW!

Elaborated Review; If you are looking for a cafe that takes you back in time, then this place is a must visit! 🫶🏽Let me just begin by saying, I have never been so smitten by a cafe! I literally went there to work but little did I know that I will be so distracted by the sheer history of this place. 🫶🏽This place is unreal for so many reasons. Stepping into this cafe feels literally teleporting back in time, from the old brick walls to this gorgeous vintage chandelier that gives so much character to this place, this is hands down the best Balzacs location in Toronto. 🫶🏽The space is perfect to hang out with a friend or if you are looking to just work or study & so INSTAGRAM worthy! 🫶🏽Okay, now lets talk about this drinks. We ordered a cold coffee + Canadian Maple Iced Latte. Holy Moly! They both were SO GOOD! 10/10! 🫶🏽Cherry on top is when your coffee/space is as good as the crew working there. Special mention to Alem (supervisor) + Allison (barista) for being so warm and kind! 🫶🏽The toilets! We also love a place that has clean toilets. Balzacs Coffee basically ticked all the boxes! 🫶🏽Last but not the least, I would like to thank me for visiting this gem of a place & starting a series of sharing the “Best Cafes Toronto...